Chapter Eighteen

Lillian

Corbin grabs my arm roughly, which causes Grandmother to growl low in her throat.

Although I do not control the beast and have nothing to do with his choice to kill Nigel, Corbin believes that I command him. Maybe the beast sensed my desire from long ago to free his shoulders of his head.

Honestly, that was for me to do. Not him.

I never asked for him to do this for me.

Corbin yanks me again toward him. “Why would the beast kill my father if she didn’t control him? She was running to your house when he jumped from one side of the path to the other, which means he can cross the narrow path through the trees to your house. He never harms her, but the second my father was in the woods, he attacked. She must have asked him to.”

Grandmother cocks a brow as she stares at him, her eyes turning the color of blood. “You should go to the woods and speak with the beast himself to see why he did it. Oh, that’s right. He can’t speak.”

Corbin’s entire body begins to shake with rage, causing his grip to tighten on my arm. “That won't be necessary. Lillian will control him and if she can’t speak to him, then I will just use her to make him obey. But one thing is certain, he will never be free of those woods.”

“Corbin, he doesn’t answer to me. I’m so tired of being called a witch and accused of doing things. If you want answers, then go find out for yourself. You’re not using me to do it.”

In one swift move, he allows his claws to slide free at his fingertips, digging into my skin. With his other hand, one long claw touches underneath my chin. One wrong move will be the end of me.

But he’s abruptly interrupted when a loud bellow from the woods is heard.

Everyone looks toward the woods once more. I eagerly scan the tree line, hoping to see the beast. After a quick glance out of the corner of my eye, I don’t see him and feel disappointed.

Instead of slashing my throat with a claw, he leans in close to my face as he allows them to retract and grabs my chin harshly. “Your words and his actions don’t match, little alpha. Why is he upset if you aren’t his master?”

“Let go of my granddaughter, you monster,” Grandmother whispers.

Corbin drops his hand from my throat and I feel like I can finally breathe. “My point has been made, you old crone. He is upset, so obviously she means something to him.”

When he releases my arm, he pushes me toward my grandmother. She catches me and holds me closely with one arm while her other hand is on the cane. “It doesn’t matter what point you think you have made. She isn’t a witch, nor does she control the monster in the woods. You are stupid to think otherwise. Now, you have what you wanted. You are the alpha of the Dark Moon pack. Lillian should be left out of it.”

My head turns swiftly to look into her red-eyed gaze, then I look at Corbin to see his reaction. I wish I had never looked. He has other plans on his mind and it’s clear to see.

And I know he will carry them out by whatever means necessary, including killing to get his way.

“That’s just it, grandmother,” he says in a whisper. “I haven’t gotten everything I want.”

Asella comes toward Corbin and grabs him by the arm. He tosses a look over his shoulder with a low growl.

“What do you want, Asella?”

"I don't think this is a smart decision. It doesn't matter what you think you'll gain, but this might affect how the pack sees you."

Corbin’s growl louder as his face partially shifts. When he leans to snarl in her face, I smell the scent of fear filling the immediate area. “Does it look like I care what this pack thinks? No, I don’t. I want her as my mate and for her to bear my children as we intended. It must be that way. Now, get out of my way before you meet your end.”

Grandmother shakes with anger in my embrace, irritated by his words. “She will not be your mate because I won’t allow it.”

He only stops to shift his gaze in our direction. I try to shield her from him with my body, but she fusses and shoves me aside. I nearly trip and fall onto the ground, but recover.

“You have forgotten, pup. I am an alpha female, so I don’t ever hide, not even behind another alpha female.”

"Grandmother, no." I reach for her arm, but she shrugs me off again, moving past me toward him.

"Lillian, I won't allow this to stand,” she says under her breath.

I watch as she moves closer and closer until they are within four feet of each other. Grandmother’s eyes are on him, blazing red with a snarl on her lips. A low growl rumbles in her chest as they lock eyes.”

Corbin only laughs and turns to give me a sly look. “See, your grandmother understands pack hierarchy. The only way to stop me from taking you as my mate as your alpha is for her to challenge me herself. It’s rather admirable and sweet, but I hope you’ll forgive me later. A match like this is to the death.”

I panic, causing my mouth to quiver as tears fill my eyes. “No, I won’t allow this. She can’t do this.”

"Her wolf has decided."

“No,” I say as I lunge to grab her arm. “No, please. You can’t do this to me. I’ve already lost my parents. I can’t lose you too.”

She casts me a quick glance before returning to staring at Corbin. “Honey, you will not lose me because I don’t intend for him to win.”

Corbin strips out of his long white shirt and tosses it onto the ground. Next is his pants following. They land on the top of the shirt. Once he stands bare before the pack, he raises his hands and laughs. “What a display. I commend your captivating words, but you won’t be walking out alive. I always get what I want.”

Grandmother’s gaze locks onto his face as she slowly strips out of her blouse, followed by her skirt. No one says a word.

I watch her as tears roll down my cheeks. Her cane falls on top of the pile of clothes, which makes me cry even harder.

I gulp hard as I take in her human form. A few scars line her body from past fights. Wrinkles line her face from all the smiles and gifts life has given her.

I memorize every single inch of her, wishing that this would have never come to pass. “You can’t do this, grandmother. Please, just let me mate with him and forget this match. You can’t leave me like this.”

Her alpha power rolls out of her in waves, nearly knocking me down. For the first time in my short life, I can feel the raw power that she has carried all along and I’m in awe.

Corbin’s alpha command rolls out across the pack and mingles with my grandmother’s, causing quite the stifling display.

“Are you sure you want to do this, pup?” She asks, completely ignoring my pleas for her not to do this.

Corbin bites his lower lip as his gaze shifts toward me. His orange eyed gaze feels like it pierces me to my very soul. “For her, I will do anything. When I win this challenge and you are taking your dying breath, you will watch me claim your granddaughter for all to see. Those faint marks on her throat will be redone with my own.”

His eyes lock onto the marks. With all the chaos, I had forgotten all about them. I reach up, gently touching the pinpricks with my fingertips. It feels wrong to think of another wolf’s mark covering them. The beast made these, even though they aren’t actual mating marks.

Alana’s wailing temporarily distracts everyone as she mourns over Nigel’s headless body.

Then I hear the faintest growl from somewhere behind me. I don’t dare turn and look. Not now.

Grandmother allows the shift to take over and takes her wolf’s form. Corbin shifts his gaze to me again with a wicked smirk plastered on his face.

His wolf is quickly surfacing, much faster than grandmother’s. He gives me one last glance before blowing me a kiss.

“One day, you won’t want my lips to be off your body. This I promise you,” he says, his voice mixed with that of his wolf’s.

I nearly lose the contents of my stomach, but fight it back as I take a step out of the fighting area. Right now, I need the beast, but he can’t leave the woods.

Corbin’s dark gray wolf stretches as the shift finishes. My grandmother’s white wolf shakes out her fur coat as she stretches as well. They circle each other and snarl.

The pack gathers around, with those in their houses coming out to watch as well.

I’m terrified of what is about to happen, though I know she can handle herself. But he is a young alpha.

It should be me challenging him. Not her.

If only you could shift when you wanted, right?

My mouth opens as I hear my wolf’s words. I’m frozen in horror as I watch them preparing to lunge.

I have to do something. But what can I do?

No, this can’t be happening. She is going to die.

Corbin shows his teeth to grandmother as a low growl rumbles in his throat. His jaws are wide open, ready to snatch her neck up and bite down. They both lunge at the same time and collide with each other. My heart sinks to my feet as their growls grow louder and blood splatters onto the ground.

It’s a mix of both of their blood, but I hate to even smell it.

With each bite he lands, she seems to quickly return the bite and shred into him every chance she gets. While that should make me feel better, it doesn’t.

I think he is letting her do this and then he’ll come in at the end to finish her in a surprise attack.

As I try to open my connection to my grandmother, she has me blocked off. My eyes widen as I try to force my way through, but it’s like trying to move a brick wall. There is no getting through.

Please don’t die, grandmother. I sent up a silent plea, wishing she could hear me.

I watch as they tear into each other again and more blood lands on the ground. It only gets worse with each passing second and I feel like my heart might burst out of my chest with worry.

When she yelps, I fall to my knees as tears flood down my cheeks. Then she yelps again and I see his jaws around her throat.

Right as I feel like it’s going to be over, I hear a lone howl filling the air. It’s low and deep, a sound that sends shivers down my spine.

My wolf rises to the surface, just beneath the skin.

Mate.